Here Are 8 Types of Meds That Can Deplete Your Nutrients
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Nicole Avena
Do you take medications?
If so, are you aware of the side effects of those medications?
Medication Side Effects
If you check the side effects associated with common over the counter and prescription medications, you’ll see long lists of problems, such as headache, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, etc.
However, what those lists typically don’t tell you is that many of these popular drugs have the potential to set you up for a host of mental issues including feelings of nervousness and emptiness, mood swings, memory problems, trouble focusing, and more.
Regardless of which medication you take, one “side effect” many people fail to consider is how these medications may interact with other nutrients in your body.
Are Medications Depleting Your Nutrients?
Many medications can cause nutrient depletions in the body. While you shouldn’t stop taking any medications without checking with your doctor, it’s important to be aware of potential nutritional pitfalls linked to drug use so you can replace vital nutrients.
8 Types of Meds That Can Deplete Your Nutrients
In his book Feel Better Fast and Make It Last, Dr. Daniel Amen lists several commonly prescribed medications and the nutrients they may deplete:
Over the counter or prescription antacids, especially proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), are designed to decrease stomach acid to reduce heartburn and acid reflux. Unfortunately, they also can cause a significant reduction in healthy gut bacteria. An imbalance in the gut may lead to serious mood issues and an increased risk of mental health problems.
Antacids can decrease calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Also, they can contribute to dysbiosis, or small bowel overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria, which can cause vitamin K deficiency and low mineral absorption.
Antibiotics
Though antibiotics are intended to kill the harmful bacteria that make you sick, they also may end up harming some of the good bacteria in your gut. In some people, the overuse of antibiotics can deplete the population of good bugs and tip the ratio in favor of the bad bugs. When it comes to nutrients, antibiotics can decrease B vitamins and vitamin K in the body.
Antidiabetics
Antidiabetic medications are used to manage the symptoms of diabetes. They’re intended to bring blood sugar levels into a healthy range. Taking these medications may decrease coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and vitamin B12.
Antihypertensives
These medications help lower blood pressure. This drug class includes angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin 2 receptor blockers (ARBs), alpha blockers, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and diuretics (water pills). Antihypertensives may decrease vitamins B6 and K, CoQ10, magnesium, and zinc.
Anti-inflammatories
Anti-inflammatory medications are used to help reduce inflammation and reduce pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used and are often sold over the counter. This category of drugs can potentially decrease vitamins B6, C, D, and K, and minerals such as calcium, zinc, and iron.
Cholesterol-lowering Medications
These medications, most notably statins, are prescribed for individuals with high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol-lowering drugs can decrease CoQ10, omega-3 fatty acids, and carnitine.
Female Hormones
Medications used to support female hormones may decrease folic acid, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, and CoQ10.
Oral Contraceptives
Oral contraceptives can decrease B vitamins, magnesium, folic acid, selenium, zinc, tyrosine, and serotonin. Many women who take oral contraceptives experience low mood. One study found that oral contraceptives can double the risk of suicide in teenage girls and significantly increase the risk in adult women.
One of the best ways to ensure you’re getting enough of the vital nutrients your body needs every day, and to help replenish nutrients depleted by medications, is to take a high-quality multivitamin. BrainMD is proud to offer…
NeuroVite Plus
NeuroVite Plus is the first and only daily multivitamin that contains over 50 vitamins, minerals, and plant extracts developed through clinical studies. NeuroVite Plus was formulated to provide whole-body wellness with additional brain-healthy nutrients. It offers advanced nutrition in a way that far surpasses many big-box store or drugstore multivitamins.
8 Benefits of NeuroVite Plus
Though the benefits of this dynamic, broad-spectrum multivitamin are numerous, NeuroVite Plus can support your daily health in 8 major ways:
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NeuroVite Plus was formulated to feed our trillions of cells with the vitamins, minerals, and conditionally essential nutrients they need to keep the body alive. Its many additional ingredients further contribute to optimizing energy generation and utilization, maintenance, and repair of the brain and entire body.*
The current research on brain and body nutrition demonstrates that everyone can benefit from taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement that’s concentrated, naturally derived, science-based, and made with integrity.
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Feed Your Brain
The modern diet isn’t providing sufficient average intakes of various essential nutrients the body requires each day. While failing to get enough of these vitamins and minerals may lead to serious, long-term health issues, feeding your brain and body with healthy foods and high-quality supplements can provide tremendous nutritional health support for you and everyone in your family.
Having deficient levels of these nutrients can lead to low mood and other mental or physical problems. Consider working with a nutritionally informed physician, such as a functional medicine specialist, to check and optimize your nutrient levels, especially if you’re taking medications.
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about NeuroVite Plus, or our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
